Book-holder



(No Model.)

0. P. HARRIS BOOK HOLDER.

Patented Oct. 8, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

CHARLES PARSONS HARRIS, on SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 547,720, dated October8, 18951 I Application filed May '1, 1895- SeriaI No.548,429. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PARSONS HARRIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Book-Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact, description there0f.

My invention relates to a support for books, such as dictionaries andother heavy volumes of reference. i

The object of the invention is to furnish a cheap book-support of simplebut effective construction for use especially in places where economy ofspace is desirable-as, for example, in'a school-room. I provide amovable support which can retain the book at all times, either when thelatter'is open or when it is closed, which support with the book can bedropped to a nearly-vertical position against the wall or other place ofattachment or can be raised and held at the most convenient angle forexamining the book. The support is easily moved and is automaticallyheld in either position without the use of spring catches or bolts,racks, or other devices of such a character.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple means for adjustingthe position of the book-support vertically, so that it can be set at aconvenient point for reference by persons of any average height. Thisfeature applies more especially to schools where a dictionary isprovided for the pupils in each grad p Myinvention in all'its detailswill be fully herei after described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the booksupport inelevated position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is asimilar elevation with the support dropped down to be out of the way.Fig. 4is an end View of the same. Fig. 5 is a front view, partly brokenaway, showing the means for adjusting the book-support vertically. Fig.6 is an end view of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail section of the lock forholding the whole device when vertically adjusted.

In the drawings I will assume. that the book-support is attached to thewall of a room.

A represents the board which forms the support, having a-ledge a ofsuflicient depth to hold the book when the bo'ard'is nearly vertical, asin Fig. 4. The board is provided with eyes or staples b, by which itissuspended from a transverse horizontal rod B,

. secured to the wall in any suitable manner,

as by the small plates and studs 0. The

board is thus capable of sliding upon the rod and also of swinging uponit toward or fronr the-wall. A stop d is preferably secured to the rod Bto limit the sliding motion in one direction. The board A is connectedto the wall or other rigid support by anrarm 0. This arm is preferablyformed from stiif wire the wall, while the part which I havetermedthe-top of the 7 plays in an eye or staple k on the lower side of theboard. The angle of the board when drawn out-,as in Fig. 2, depends uponthe length of the stem of the 7, which willthen be approximatelyperpendicular to the plane of the board and will support the latterfirmly. By slidingthe board to the left along the rod from which ithangs the bottom of the bent arm 0 will commence -to turn in the stapleg. As the movement continues, the arm will swing toward the positionshown in Fig. 3, losing its power of resisting the weight of the boardand book, and gradually turning inward until its free end rests againstthe wall, Fig. 4, when the book-support isat its lowest position. Movingthe book-board to the right will cause the arm to swing back to itsfirst position, and the stop (1 is so placed on the rod B as to limitthe motion at the time when the arm is in the most favorable positionfor supporting the weight of the board and book. It is not necessary tolift or pull necessary.

be placed at such a height on a wall as will make it convenient for useby people of average height. For usein schools, among pupils indifferent grades, I prefer to provide means for adjusting the height ofthe whole attachment. This device is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and itwill be understood that no change is made in the construction or mode ofopera tion of the book supporting device, the changes relating to themanner of connecting it to the wall.

Instead of fixing the rod B, as before de; scribed, such rod hasasliding adjustment on parallel guides l l, secured to the wall, asshown. An intermediate guide on is also secured to the wall. To the rodB are secured converging rods 91 n, which at their angle are inproximity to the guide m. A plate ohas the eye or staple g formed in itto receive the end of the arm 0, as before described. A bookbolt 1isecures rigidly but adj ustably together the guide m, rods 72 n, andplate 0 by means of a nut q. By loosening this nut the whole book-boardand its supporting-rod can be raised or lowered on the guides Z Z, thehooked bolt sliding on the guide m. OE coursethis adjustment does notalter or change in any way the operation of the book-snpport, since theplate 0 performs exactly the same function as a support for the arm 0 asdoes the rigidly-attached plate in Figs. 1 and 2. Itis not supposed thatthe vertical adjustment will be frequently used, and, as before stated,it is not necessary to use it at all, except that in schools where thereferenccbooks are to be used in different grades it will be found adesirable feature of the device, since initial adjustments of the properheight can be made in each grade. Of course such adjustments can bechanged as often as may be found It should also be stated that while Iprefer to make the arm which connects the wall and the book-board ofangular form, or bent. into the shape of a figure 7, as beforedescribed, yet the shape is not essential, since a straight arm providedwith a hook or eye at each end may be connected to the wall and theboard and will operate in the same manner.

What I claim is- 1. A book board or bolder having a sliding motion and aswinging motion in combination with a sell? adjusting arm, connected tosaid book board, and to a rigid support, such as a wall, substantiallyas described.

2. A book board or holder, suspended from a rod, and having a slidingmotion and a swinging motion on such rod, in combination with an armpivoted at one end to a wall or other rigid support, and passing throughan eye or staple on the said board, substantially as described.

3. In a book holder and in combination, a fixed rod secured to a wall orother rigid support, a board suspended therefrom so as to have both asliding and a swinging movement a plate connected to said rigid supportandv having an eye, an eye on the lower surface of the board, and aswinging arm loosely connected to. both of said eyes, and adapted toswing as the board slides on said rod, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. In a book holder, vertical guides, a transverse rod adjustable onsaid guides, a book board suspended from said rod and capable of slidingthereon, and a self adjusting arm connected to said book board and to anindependent support, substantially as described.

5. In a book holder and in combination, the book board, connected rods B12., Vertical guides, a plate adj ustably secured to one of said guides,and an angular arm loosely connected to said plate, and to said bookboard, substantially as described.

6. In abook holder and in combination with the suspended book board, avertically adjustable rod B, a vertically movable plate to which saidrod is connected, a guide m, a belt 'for securing said plate to saidguide, and for permitting it to move upon said guide, and a swinging armconnected loosely to said plate and to said book board, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 26th day of April, 1895.

CHARLES PARSONS HARRIS. Witnesses:

H. D. HAWKS, It. L. AULD.

